Day 1 - DEPART USA - Today, we depart our home city to connect with our overnight flight to Warsaw. We enjoy complementary beverages, in-flight movies, dinner and breakfast while aloft

Day 2 - WARSAW - We arrive early this morning at Okecie International Airport, Warsaw.   We board our motor coach and begin our morning sightseeing tour of Warsaw.  We will visit Old Town, where each historic building has been painstaking and lovingly reconstructed after the destruction during WWII, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Memorial of the Warsaw Uprising, the Memorial of the Ghetto Heroes, Lazienki Park to view Chopin’s Monument, St. John the Baptist Cathedral, and the Royal Castle.  This afternoon, after a break for lunch on our own, we attend Mass at St. Jacob’s Church.  This is where Jesus said to St. Faustina: “It’s here I called you, and not elsewhere.” After our late afternoon check-in at our hotel, we enjoy our “welcome” dinner and overnight at our hotel.

Day 3 - WARSAW - This morning we will celebrate Mass at St. John’s Cathedral, Warsaw’s oldest architectural monument dating back to 1338 and rebuilt from the ruins of WWII.  Following Mass, we will depart to Niapokalanow, home of the monastery built by St. Maximilian Kolbe. We will have time for a stop for lunch on our own before we travel to Glogowiec, the birthplace of St. Faustina where Jesus appeared to her in l931 and requested she paint the picture of His Divine Mercy. We return to our hotel for dinner and overnight.  Tonight, we will have an opportunity to attend one of Warsaw’s many cultural events. 

Day 4 -   WARSAW/CZESTOCHOWA/KRAKOW - After breakfast, we will board our motor coach for a two-hour journey to Czestochowa, where we will make our way to the monastery complex of Jasna Gora to visit this famous Marian Shrine.  Jasna Gora consists of a Gothic/Baroque church, a Baroque monastery and fortress.  This is where the miraculous icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa (Black Madonna) has been preserved.  We will tour this shrine and celebrate Mass while here.  There will be ample time for private devotion, a stop for lunch and to enjoy a walk around the town.  We will continue to Krakow for dinner and overnight.

Day 5 - KRAKOW - "THE POLISH ROME" - This morning we will celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Florian, where St. John Paul II served as a curate, and where he lived while serving as university chaplain. Afterwards, we meet our guide and begin our sightseeing tour.  Our first stop is the courtyard of 16th century Royal Castle, and Wawel Cathedral, where generations of Polish Kings are buried. We then take a walking tour of Old Town, visiting some of the treasures of this wonderful old city.  We will view the Town Hall Tower and the Cloth Hall, located on the same site since the 14th century, the 15th century Collegium Maius in the oldest university area and St. Mary's Church.  Here we enjoy the ancient tradition of the "Hejnal" or bugle call from the Tower, which warned residents of the coming of an enemy. This afternoon, following lunch on our own, we ride to Wieliczka, famous for its salt mine, which has been in operation for over 700 years.  We will visit the upper levels of the mine, where will view chapels with altar pieces and statutes all hand carved by devout Polish miners.  We return to Krakow for dinner and overnight.

Day 6 - KRAKOW - After breakfast we depart Krakow and travel to Wadowice, the birthplace of Pope John Paul II. En route we pass by the Kalwaria Zebrzydowska Benedictine Monastery where the Holy Father often prayed and walked the Stations of the Cross.  In Wadowice, we celebrate Mass in the parish church where the Holy Father was baptized and afterwards we visit the museum in his small family home.  We break for lunch on our own before our stop at the infamous Auschwitz Concentration Camp with its Martyrdom Museum.   St. John Paul II visited the cell of St. Maximilian Kolbe at Auschwitz in June 1979 on his first visit to Poland after becoming Pope. Afterwards, we visit the newly built Basilica of the Divine Mercy, the home of St. Sister Faustina. We will see the convent and visit with the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy while there. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 7 - KRAKOW - After breakfast, we will visit Kazimierz, an old Jewish city with medieval roots which has preserved the original town plan.  We will then visit Wawel Hill, which is the old seat of Polish kings also dating back to medieval times.  It is topped with a Gothic and Renaissance castle with a courtyard.   We will pass the monument commemorating the Polish and American hero, Kosiuszko. Following lunch on our own, this afternoon those who wish may return to the Divine Mercy Shrine for personal devotion and our closing Mass here. Return to our hotel for our “farewell” dinner and overnight.

Day 8 - KRAKOW/USA - Today we make our way home with memories for a lifetime.